Cutler officially launches campaign for governor

Cutler lost to Gov. Paul LePage in 2010

Independent Eliot Cutler is officially launching his campaign to be Maine's next governor.

Cutler held events Tuesday in Bangor and Portland to kick off his campaign in the 2014 election against Republican Gov. Paul LePage and Democrat Mike Michaud, who is now a U.S. representative.

"I'm running for governor to repay a debt that I owe to a state that gave my grandfather and my parents and me extraordinary opportunity," Cutler said.

Cutler came in a close second to LePage in the 2010 election and has said he represents a break from the traditional two-party political system.

Cutler, who's 67, lives in Cape Elizabeth and calls himself an entrepreneur, businessman and investor.

University of Southern Maine political science professor Ron Schmidt said Maine is headed for another close race.

Schmidt said the fact that there is a different Democratic candidate this time could sway Democrats who may have voted for Cutler four years ago.

"If that happens, the margin of victory in the last election was very, very narrow. The fact that Mike Michaud is already an elected official, that he's had a lot of popularity around the state could swing this race toward the Democrats whether Cutler runs or not," Schmidt said.

Race for Governor: Who's in; who's out?

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The race for Maine governor in 2014 is slowly coming into shape. See who is in, who is out.